SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 73, 13 August 1912, Page 7

SPORTING.

GRAND NATIONAL MEETING. NOTES BY "MOTUROA." The much-discussed New Zealand Grand National mroting opens to-day and will he continued on Thursday and concluded on Saturday. The principal events on to-day's card are the Grand National Steeplechase (three and a-half miles) and the Winter Cup (one mile). Final payments for these events fell due on Friday evening, and, while the flat race filled well, serious defections reduced the probable field for the big 'cross-country event to fifteen. Black Northern, Compass, Master Paul, Silver Blaze and Tui Cakobau have been allowed to drop out, and the withdrawal I of the first-named pair occasioned some i surprise. The well-backed division—Conjtinuance, Hautere, Captain Jingle, Pari- | tutu, and Armagh—are still there, as are Antarctic and other lesser lights, an 4 [there is still ample talent engaged to ensure a fine race. Continuance has been going so well at Riccarton that he is certain to cemmand a very large following to-day. That he is % great! 'chaser no one will deny, but 12st 31bs is a big handicap over a long, stiff course, and one 'has to go back fifteen years to find a horse that has carried such a crusher to victory. Antarctic is said to be a certain starter, and his owner (Mr. "Billy" Tuck) went south on Saturday to see hia horse run. The big chestnut is a perfect fencer, but he has done practically no work for some weeks now and cannot possibly be fit for the fray. Last year he carried the same weight into third place. Hautere shaped disappointingly at Trentham, where the going was very heavy, but should show up better on top of the ground, and remembering his Wanganui and Ellerslie performances he must be reckoned amongst the dangerous division. He is a fair jumper and a fine stayer. Captain Jingle carries the full penalty, Hlbs., for his Trentham victories, and his party are confident of success. He is a good, safe conveyance and runs on well at the finish. Sir Lethe fences superbly, but has not so far showed a liking for such a long course. Paritutu won last year with lOst 21b in the saddle, and as the Taranaki horse is in good fettle an extra stone should not trouble him greatly. Still, he is getting up in years now, and can hardly be better than he was when he beat Corazon home in a gruelling finish. Hawick has n« pretensions to a race of this class, and on form the well-backed Aucklander Armagh reads likewise. Glenmore has been raced a lot this year, and is a game enough little fellow. He appears to have gone off since running promin- ] ently in the Wanganui Steeplechase, and | hardly looks class enough. Tyrannic and j Zante, of the light-weights, have shaped well of late, and must be accorded I jumpers' chances. The Gunner, Te Tua, \ Flamingo and The Spaniard are nothing to write home about. As regards condition the critics hare no fault to find with the well-seasoned trio. Captain Jingle, Continuance, and Hautere. The following are the likely starters and their riders:—Continuance (W. Young) 12.3, Antarctic (J. Stewart) 12.2, Hautere (J. Deerv) 11.9, Captain Jingle (J. O'Connell) 11.7, Sir Lethe (R. Gray) 11.2, Paritutu (A. Julian) 11.2, Hawick (McSweeney) 10.9, Armagh (A. McFlynn) 10.8, Glenmore (W. Adams) 10.2, Tyrannic (L. Traill) 9.12, The Gunner Thistelton) 9.7, Zante (F. Futchen) 9.7, Flamingo (G. Caddy) 9.7, Te Tua (L. Hcgarty) 9.7, The Spaniard 9.7. Twenty-four horses remain in the Winter Cup, the only withdrawal when final payments fell due being Irish Rifle, and the Bulls-trained horse was not taken to Riecarton. There should be some spirited betting when the field lines up to-day, and probably Salute, Prosper, La Reina, Mt. Victoria, and Mangaroa will have most followers. On track form this i quintette must be very fit. Salute and La Reina pleased most on Saturday morning, but the issue is considered to be very open. The following are the likely runners and their riders:—Salute (P. Bradv) 10.9, Sea Queen (W. Price) 10.9, My Lawyer (R. Ellis) 9.13 Stepmeter (Trilford) 9.13, La Reina (W. Percival) - 9.13, Odessa (L. Traill) 9.13, MangaToa (F. D. Jones) 9.13, Mira (W. Ryan) 9.13, Royal Arms ( ) 9.11, Prosper (C. .Jenkins) 9.11, Countermine (F. E. Jones) 9.10, Con the Shaughraun (L. Wilson) 9.7, Mt. Victoria (Sid Reid) 9.5, Mumura (A. H. Wilson) 9.5, Genius (G. Pine) 9.5, Smilax (F. Flynn) 9.5, Ladrone (R. Hatch) 9.5, Martine (R. W. Kin?) 9.4, Leapuki (C. Price) 9.3, Probable (J. Beard) 9.0, Magdala (11. Donovan) 9.0, Grand Slam (L. ft. King) 9.0, Serenity (A. Olliver) 9.0, Ngatimaru ! | (W. Young) 9.0. ) The minor events have filled well, and j much interest centres on the Trial Hurdle Race (one mile and three-quar- '• ters) and the Enfield Steeplechase (two ! miles). In the former race the Grand National Hurdle Race candidates Flingot, Coronetted, Silver Cluse, Waikaraka, Waipureka and Ncscot are engaged, and possibly to-day's running may shed some lijrht on Thursday's big event. Tyrannic and Zante also figure in the Enfield Steeplechase, and it is doubtful whether they will etart in this race or in the Grand National Steeplechase. Most of the crack hurdlers are amongst the acceptors for the Jumpers' Flat Race (one and a-half miles), and the event looks very open. Sandy Paul will be amongst the runners and will | carry the hopc3 of many Taranaki sports.